Holiday Gift Ideas for Your Favorite Bookworm | Favorite Things… {Gen The Bookworm}

November 29, 2019July 13, 2020 ~ Genevieve ~ 6 Comments

Gift Guides Galore!

It’s that time of the year when holiday gift guides are going around the internet like wildfire. While I have found some that are super helpful, it can also get very overwhelming and can sometimes feel a bit..insincere.

As a blog reader myself, I often struggle with wanting to support bloggers, who do put in a lot of time and energy behind the scenes to share content online, AND the idea of super overconsumption and also authenticity.

Tried & True

I wanted to put together a gift guide of tried and true things that I have purchased and loved myself. There is nowhere I would rather be than cozy at home, reading a book!

So if you are shopping for a book lover, or are one yourself, I am hoping these suggestions come in handy! They are not holiday-themed, as they are things that I have used and loved all year round and have also stood the test of time which I think is super important.

A Disclaimer

To be upfront, some of these links are Amazon affiliate links (you can read more about this on my FAQs page HERE) and some are not…but they are ALL things I have purchased myself and am sharing because I think they are awesome!

Since I began using affiliate links this past spring as a way to help support the costs of running this blog, I have included a disclaimer at the end of my book posts when I share links to purchase the book yourself. In this instance, I wanted to be very clear about it and am happy to answer any questions you have in the comments below or by email genthebookworm@gmail.com

Now Onto The Bookworm Gift Ideas which basically is a list of some of my very favorite things!

This Lipmask is my favorite! While I still am a big fan of the Laniege lip sleeping mask, I purchased this off of a recommendation from a skincare loving friend and I love so much too! Both of these stay on forever and are super hydrating, but I love the very mild scent and flavor of the balm and it is perfect for applying before bed or when reading in the bathtub!

Hair Ties that Hold!

2. These hair ties have been my go-to for years! I have to have my hair up when I am buried in a book and they are great for thick hair, stay put and come in so many different color combinations! Sometimes I even double them up for heavy-duty things like a workout class.

I am also not bummed that scrunchies are back! As part of their Skida Scraps Project to help create even less waste, they are now making scrunchies! They can hold up to whatever you choose to do, whether that is lazing around your house or going outside for an adventure. I love this Adele print so much!

A Powerhorse Portable Charger

3. This portable charger is a powerhouse! Between listening to audiobooks and podcasts on my phone ALL the time, and being an overzealous iPhone photographer, I go through my phone charge pretty quickly. After reads dozens of reviews, I settled on this guy and it is everything I hoped it would be!

I have had a portable charger before but it only recharged my stuff a few times before it needed to be plugged in again and as someone is a little disorganized, it defeated the purpose because I was always forgetting to actually charge the thing.

This charger can connect to up to four USB compatible devices at a time which makes it perfect for charging your phone, someone else’s phone, your kindle and wireless headphones all at the same time! I used it all week long on our recent vacation there were not a lot of outlets nearby in our hotel room and it was amazing!

BeyondBooked BookSleeves!

4. Beyond Booked Booksleeves! I didn’t get introduced to book sleeves until this past summer and now I am wondering why I waited so long!! Tancy is one of my Bookstagram buddies and when she shared that she had opened an Etsy shop I couldn’t want to check it out. I have to admit, I was totally sold when I saw she had lots of floral prints because that is my jam! But if florals aren’t your thing, she has lots of other fabric choices to choose from, like these geometric ones HERE.

Not only are booksleeves fabulous for keeping your books safe when you toss them in and out of your bags, but they also are awesome for protecting other things like your Kindle and phone. I brought them on our last two vacations and they were the perfect way to transport things around and also hideaway items I didn’t want laying out when we were at the pool. And as a #Bookstagrammer, they make super cute backdrops for your books as well. 😉

Tancy’s booksleeves are beautifully made and she is just so wonderful to work with. She now offers multiple sizes as well for your even larger hardcopy books.

*I just looked and today for Black Friday she is having 20% off storewide! (not an affiliate link!)

A Pillow Stand for Handsfree Ebook Reading!

5. Have you ever heard of a pillow stand? We have three kindle readers in our house and we all have different methods of propping them up. Lucas uses the rails of the headboard on our bed, our older son usees a stuffed animal and I use a pillow stand!

It allows you to have your Kindle (or other small tablet devices) propped up so you don’t have you hold it up. I like to fall asleep reading so this is my ideal way of reading!

The Most Comfortable Jogger Pajamas Bottoms EVER!

6. There is nothing better than changing into your comfy clothes and having no plans but curling up with your current read. I found these modal joggers (not an affiliate link) two years ago and they are lifechanging!

They are the softest fabric ever(but don’t make you overheated), they don’t ride up on your calves because of the jogger style cuff, and they come in so many patterns choices(that also change seasonally if that is your thing, it is mine!)

You can get deals on them year-round because Gap always has sales but if you are shopping Black Friday deals, you can get them for 50% off right now with code (BLKFRIDAY) and they are SO worth it! These are true to size and I wear a size large for reference.

A Tank to Lounge & Layer

7. I don’t buy a lot of things at Gap for myself but their breathe tank tops are my go-to to for sleeping in EVERY SINGLE NIGHT! They also are the best layer tanks under sweaters and sweatshirts. I don’t have any affiliation with Gap, I just love their loungewear so much. I have worn these for years, and I hope they never stop making them! I also buy a large in this tank.

A Tumbler That Tops My List!

8. I love a good tumbler for water and I also love straws! This Sip by S’well tumbler is THE BEST! It holds a lot of water so you don’t have to refill it all the time, keeps you drink cold (or hot!) and the straw bends and doesn’t clink around all the time like most stainless steel straws out there. I keep one of these on my nightstand every single for easy access while reading. You can find them on Amazon HERE or also at your local Target(pictured above on the right).

My Favorite Wireless Headphones EVER

9. I get very excited to share about things that I love, but I am totally serious when I say that these headphones are one of the best things I have EVER purchased. They changed my audiobook and podcast listening life for the better, but they have also become a household staple for when I just need to tone down the noise level at my house (see the photo above!)

In addition, they make wonderful and cozy winter earmuffs to walk to the school bus while also listening to your current audiobook! And the best part of these, if that you can be listening to something and then when your phone rings, you can answer it through these and it is not super complicated to do! And they stay connected as you walk all around the house and your phone is not nearby.

I clean, unload the dishwasher and fold laundry and even walk buzz, all hands-free, while talking to my friends and if that doesn’t sound amazing, well you haven’t tried it! And they are under 30 dollars! You can read more about them HERE.

A Comfortable and Cozy Sweatshirt!

10. Alright, the next staple of my perfect cozy outfit are these sweatshirts! I love a good sweatshirt and this one meets all my specifications. It is substantial without feeling too heavy to wear inside and it’s fitted a bit up top but the hi-low cut makes it butt-covering without pulling. The fabric feels so nice (and washes and dries amazingly well) and they remind me of the Alo Yoga top in a very similar style minus the heavier price tag!

I am not a big Amazon shopper for fashion choices but I tried these on a whim and then saw my friend Jenny AKA @dreamalittledreamvt wearing it in the charcoal stripes at Pure Barre and she knows what’s up in that department! These sweatshirts are perfect whether you are lounging around your house or running errands around town.

Hand Cream from the Heavens!

11. I am beginning to think from making this list that I am a high maintenance reader…but I just like being comfortable! Having dry skin is the worst and this time the year it is hard to avoid!

Another thing I keep on my nightstand(and by my computer, and on the kitchen counter…) during the colder months is hand cream. And if you haven’t tried this little gem yet you are missing out!

I first found Gramp Lyford’s Country Salve at our local grocery store. It is amazingly moisturizing without being greasy AT ALL, and it is doesn’t have a strong scent, which I really appreciate. Just go read the raving reviews and you will see what I mean!

The Best Bubble Bath Recommendations

12. Reading in the bath feels like the ultimate luxury these days. Now that the boys are bit older, they stay up A LOT later, so gone are the days where they were in bed and we had some time alone! (This is also why my early morning coffee time is so sacred to me!)

Because of this, Lucas and I are both are needing to find some new ways to have some downtime amidst the hustle and bustle of family life, which sometimes feels like it never ends these days…

One of my very favorite things is handing over the parenting reigns, closing the bathroom door and sinking into a nice, hot bubble bath. The boys also like taking baths and so I like finding bath products that work for our entire family. All three of these recommendations create the perfect amount of bubbles and smell amazing without being too strong…they also are moisturizing without feeling greasy!

Puracy bubble bath is the mildest in the fragrance department and creates a ton of bubbles from just a very small amount! The Honest Bubble bath has a great price point (there is often a “save $X amount at checkout deal)and The Alaffia coconut strawberry bubble bath makes you feel like you away at a tropical destination. We love and purchase all three of these regularly and you really can’t go wrong!

Cozy Candlelight Suggestions

13. Candles are one of my favorite ways to feel cozy this time of year. With the lack of daylight, the evenings can feel pretty long right now. I love using candles and table lamps to create warm light that also feels a lot less harsh than our overhead ceiling lights.

I have many favorites but there are some that really top my list! The Bee’s Nectar is a local business(that also has an Etsy shop) and she makes the best soy candles scented with essential oils and she is just so lovely in general. Gillian is often at local craft fairs(that’s where I first found her!) but you can almost always find her candles at the Blue Cottage if you live locally. The grapefruit scent is my very favorite!

This past week Julia talked about these Volcano Candles over on her Nightstand Series guest post HERE. While we don’t have an Anthropologie around here, I learned about these at our local Pure Barre studio!

I often find the scents of a lot of candles too overwhelming but there is something different about this one! The scent is clean and fresh and I love being able to repurpose the smaller container for knick-knacks around our house.

My friend gifted me this candle last year for my birthday and not only it is perfect for bookworm but is also has the most beautiful scent. I have been burning it for only special reading occasions because I just love it so much! They have so many more book-related candles on their Frostbeard Studio Store on Etsy.

Darn Tough Socks!

14. I talked about Darn Tough socks the other day in my Currently Loving post, but they really are the best! Not only do they have a lifetime guarantee are made in Vermont and make for super warm, cozy, and happy feet!

The Best Kindle Paperwhite Price EVER!

15. I couldn’t have a Bookworm Favorite Things post without talking about my beloved Kindle Paperwhite. This year I upgraded to the newest Paperwhite and it continues to be everything I loved about my previous one. It has a long battery life, a glare-free reading screen, and even better, it is now waterproof!

The lowest I have ever seen the newest Kindle Paperwhite was $89 and right now, you can grab one for under $85 HERE!!

With just our library cards and the Libby App, everyone in our family has access to thousands of ebooks, for FREE! And with the addition of great kindle deals that are available every week, we always have something to read, day or night! You can read my blog post related to how to get started with your Kindle HERE.

Kindle Covers That Protect!

16. Finally, if you have a Kindle, you probably will want a case for it! Not only does it help protect your ebook, but it also makes it automatically turn on when you open it. I have had great luck with the Fintie Slimshell case (I love the Z-Jungle Night pattern).

There are many great options available and when you are browsing around, just make sure to get the case that fits your generation of Kindle. The newest Kindle Paperwhite (2018 & 2019 editions) are considered the 10thg generation. Just like iPhones for example, each release is a little bit different in its dimensions so a cover that is for the previous models will not fit the newest Kindle Paperwhite.

Whew!! If you lasted until this point, I am impressed, this was a long one! I hope you found at least some part of this post helpful and if you have any other suggestions, I would love to hear them in the comments below. <3

Disclosure: Some of the links above are Amazon affiliate links. This means if you click through and make a purchase, I receive a small commission that helps support this blog at no cost to you. Thank you!

Coffee Talk | Currently Loving…Audiobooks at Work, Wireless Headphones, Barre Necessity & Fun at the Fair!

August 18, 2019July 13, 2020 ~ Genevieve ~ Leave a comment

Checking-in:

Hello! How is your weekend going? I am sitting down with a big mug of coffee to write this and then I need to finish editing a wedding because we are leaving for MAINE tomorrow!!

Currently Loving…Audiobooks at Work!

During my heavy editing season audiobooks get me through the long hours of sitting at the computer. My work is heavily creative so I am able to listen while I work which is amazing! Speaking of audiobooks, I finished The Most Fun We Ever Had this past week which I alternated reading and listening too. I shared more over on Instagram but I think it might be my favorite book ever!

I also decided to go the Audible route to help finish Red, White & Royal Blue and it is amazing on audio. I am hoping to finish it today. Have you read this yet? It has had some raving reviews and I can see why.

Wireless Headphones for the Win!

I had a lot of DMs about which headphones I have after I posted about them HERE.

I have the Tao Tronic wireless headphones. I got them last year after reading a lot of reviews and not being sure if I wanted to make a huge financial commitment. These are currently on sale for $39 and are awesome! I strongly dislike earbuds(and I can’t get them to stay in my ears) and I don’t care about whether I look cool or not, so they are great!

They have many uses which include listening to audiobooks and tuning out your noisy family. I also wear them at work when I am listening to a true-crime podcast because Kristy is afraid of them, ha! I also love wearing them around the house when I am vacuuming or putting away laundry…it makes the time fly by! I also love that I can listen to something without having my phone right next to me because I get less distracted by it that way.

Busy Season:

This last week has been a lot of tying up loose ends and finished all our work projects before we took a few days off. Summer in Vermont is short but intense and that means photography work here is similar. During the summer we are in a constant cycle of editing, lots of backend communication and sending out galleries and prints, etc. This does not even include all the work Kristy does to take the photos!

I am lucky to work with someone who is so organized because it is a lot to manage. Kristy recently set up whiteboards that look similar to the patient boards they have at hospital nursing stations, and it is fabulous!

Childcare in August…

The last couple of weeks before school usually mean that summer activities have ended and beloved babysitters have headed back to college! This means we did a lot of working with kids this week which is always a rollercoaster ride of emotions.

They were at home with me, at work with Lucas, spent some time with grandparents and also came to work with us at Kristy’s. Flynn’s mismatched shoes are a good representation of this past week inside my head, ha!

Summertime Self-care:

While I haven’t been going as regularly, barre is essential to my mental well being so I have been prioritizing that as much as possible. During the school year I go on my way to work but these days I go whenever I can get there, early morning, midday, or afternoon classes.

This is probably good for me as I am a very routined person and it has pushed me out of my comfort zone a bit. I have met some new barre buddies which is always the best! I still freak out if I can’t go in my specific spot in the room though…baby steps!

Fitting in Reading:

I bring my kindle along with me during the day and read when I can but most of my reading during the summer happens in the evening. During the school year, I have a lot more chunks of alone time in between meetings, appointments, and dropping off and picking up the kids. This time of the year, I AM NEVER ALONE, ha.

Kids Books We Love…

Julia Rothman Collection

Speaking of kids and reading, I get a lot of questions about how we get our kids to love reading. I am not an expert by any means but my love of reading came from being read to as a child and always having access to books.

I vividly remember riding my bike to the library and picking out whatever books I wanted to read…and then trying to figure out how to ride home while carrying them out without the foresight to bring a bag, ha!

(Ninjago | Dog Man | Pokemon Essential Guidebook | Frog & Toad Storybook Favorites | The Julia Rothman Collection )

So we have always read with our kids and had a lot of books around. We also try to be open-minded about what they want to read, even when they are into super annoying books like Pokemon, Lego, and graphic novels like Dog Man and Hi-Lo. I know people have strong feelings about this but I a big believer in the idea that reading is reading even if some of it might not be “ideal”.

We try to enforce at least 20 minutes of reading time a day whether it is on their own or with us. This has been a bit lax during the last couple of months but during the school year, it is a before bedtime requirement.

I had big plans to do a whole post about book suggestions that our kids love last spring and I never got around to it. I have big plans for September and I plan on sharing a more detailed post then!

Vermont Summer Living…

We have been embracing all the wonderful parts of this time of year while also looking forward to school starting again so we can get some of our regular structure back. Summer is great and school is too!

Addison County Fair & Field Days!

Speaking of embracing the wonderful parts of this year, I never posted about our trip to the fair! We visited the Addison County Fair last week which has been one of my summer traditions since I was a toddler myself. I love reminiscing about all my memories there while also seeing how much our kids love it. Lucas grew up in the big city of Burlington so he is still unsure about it all but I think it is growing on him. 😉

We planned accordingly so we could attend the Demotion Derby. We also had lots of fair food including fried Oreos. It was a pretty rainy week but this night ended up being just beautiful.

End of Summer Reading:

We have been soaking in all in and I have big reading planning to finish off our summer vacation. I am a last-minute packer but I have been thinking about what books I want to bring to Maine for weeks!! I think I have narrowed it down and I will keep you updated over at @genthebookworm.

I hope you have a wonderful rest of your weekend! <3

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things…Summer Edition! | Product Recommendations

June 27, 2019June 28, 2019 ~ Genevieve ~ 1 Comment

Summer in Vermont

Hello and happy Thursday! Today looks like another beautiful Vermont June day. Yesterday the sun was shining and the kids were happy to be at the pool and I was working on this post(yes it took me multiple days…ha!) from a table nearby in the shade.

The day before the kids had swim practice and it was pouring and freezing. Weather in New England is never very predictable but we do try to soak it all in, even if it means swimming in the rain!

Favorites by Category & Theme

I have been doing some reflecting on my most loved things lately and I thought it would fun to start regularly share some of my current favorites…each time with a different category and theme. I talk about some of these types of things on my Currently Loving posts and thought it would be a fun addition to my regular posts.

Along with Day In The Life posts, I love seeing regular everyday items that people use and love. There is something so interesting to me about practical items that people use and enjoy all the time. Do you like this kind of thing too?!

These Are Some of my Favorite Things…Summer Edition!

When thinking about the things I use the most this time of year, it was super easy to come up with a list. I am very routine oriented and there is nothing that makes me happier than structure and knowing what to expect!

I am the person who parks in the same parking spots, uses the same mug for my morning coffee(with a stainless steel straw) and don’t you dare try and make me stand in a different place of the barre studio!!! So needless to say, this list is somewhat practical but all of these things have stood the test of time which I think is very important when making a suggestion. I hope you enjoy seeing some of my very favorite things…summer edition style!

Plastic Birkenstocks in Gizeh

If you don’t have plastic Birkenstocks yet, how are you even surviving summer? Summer in Vermont is very unpredictable, it will be beautiful and sunny and an hour later it will be pouring rain. Sometimes it is hot and sometimes it is freezing! I have a few go-to summer shoes but my rubber Birkenstocks are my number one pick.

They are so comfortable (I love the molded footbed for arch support) and are awesome because they can get super wet (unlike the regular Birkenstocks) so they make the perfect pool, beach or just regular life shoe. I am a size 8.5 in women’s shoes and I get the 39 and it fits perfectly.

TaoTronics Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones

I love that I have more time with my kids this summer, but they are also LOUD!! Whether they are happy, unhappy, excited or mad, it all is a rather high noise level and most of the time that is totally fine, but everyone has a limit. 😉

I have flexibility with my job and do most of my work on the day I have a babysitter or early in the morning before they wake up, but sometimes it doesn’t all get done and life overlaps. I was hesitant to buy wireless headphones for a long time, and a lot of it had to do with the price point. I wasn’t sure if I would love them and it seemed like a big commitment. I read review after review and finally bit the bullet last fall and ordered these.

Under $40, impressive sound quality and easy to use and charge!

They were under $40 which seemed reasonable and seemed easy enough to use…which was also something I was worried about as someone who struggles with new technology…

6+ months later I am so pleased with them! I use them to listen to podcasts and audiobooks when I am working or even cleaning the house. They charge easily by plugging them into my computer (or a USB charger), are super comfortable and the sound quality is amazing. And back to the kid’s noise levels, sometimes I just wear them as noise canceling headphones and they do a great job with that too!

Reel Legends Women’s Keep It Cool Top

I talked about my love for UV sun-shirts back in April and my fondness for them is still going strong. I have worn them swimming in the ocean, at the pool, on the baseball field and while picking strawberries last weekend. I am ALL about sun protection and this top is super comfortable, fitted without being too snug and very lightweight. I am a size 8-10 in US women’s sizing and I ordered a large for reference.

Sport-Brella

We bought our Sport-Brella two summers ago and it was life changing! We store it on our boat so we have it with us when we go to the beach. This umbrella is amazing because it can be used standing upright like a regular beach umbrella or down on one side as pictured, more like a half tent. We would have loved having this with young babies but we still get so much use out of it now. It is so nice to have a shady spot that is also super easy to set up and disassemble.

To make it even easier to set up and even more secure, we have this screw-in sand anchor and it is the best little accessory!

skort

Athleta Excursion Hybrid Skort

Give me ALL the skorts. As someone with a more, umm, curvy figure, I know the struggles of trying to wear dresses or shirts when it is hot and sweaty out…ugh the thigh rubbing! If you don’t know this struggle, consider yourself lucky! And if you do, welcome to the club! There are many amazing options now and skorts are one of them. I have two skorts from Athleta and they are wonderful!! I have this one in grey and they also have it black. It is currently on sale and in stock in all sizes! I ordered a large for reference.

Foot Peel

A few years ago I learned about the wonders of foot peels. If you haven’t heard about these before there are tons of articles sharing informative reviews (and very detailed photos like this one HERE). While you may think it is gross, they really work!! I have used a few different kinds and they all work the same, these are just the most cost-effective ones I have found and the foot booties are super easy to use. To make this even easier I put a pair of socks on over them while I do the peel so I can continue on with life as usual in the evening time.

Mission Performance Cooling Hat

I could go on and on about sun protection all day long. You will never find me out in the sun without a hat on, but it is hard to find ones that don’t make you even sweat even more. We have a few of these hats and they fit our whole family with just a quick tightening (or loosening) of the velcro in the back. They really do what they claim and they are breathable and dry super quickly, which makes them great for when we are at the pool or on the boat.

Elta MD Sunscreen & Babo Botanicals Sport Stick

Face sunscreen always seems like a tricky thing to find, both for myself and for the kids. For me, I want to be able to put it on first thing under my makeup and not have it feel sticky or greasy. For the kids, I want it to stay on when they are in and all of the water all day and also not cause a huge fuss when we have to reapply it several times a day.

Both of these do the trick and are a go-to in my shopping cart. The Elta Md sunscreen has been a favorite of mine for years. As someone with sensitive and acne prone skin(you can read more about that HERE) I needed something that worked but that was also not irritating or super greasy. This goes on super easily just like a face lotion and I love the pump style bottle.

The Babo Botanicals face stick has been awesome for the kids and I love that it is easy to apply (no tears!) whether we are putting it on them or they are doing it themselves. It has great coverage but also rubs in really well. Highly recommend!

Supergoop Everday Sunscreen

I talked more about my favorite body sunscreen in my Currently Loving post last week but we are obsessed with The Supergoop Everyday Sunscreen Pump. It may seem ginormous but it’s awesome and lasts a long time, even when you are using it daily. It is super easy to rub in too which we are always a fan of.

Lavish Lash Eyelash and Brow Serum

This is more of a year-round obsession but I have been so impressed with this Lavish Lash eyelash and brow serum. I have been using it since last fall to grow back in the outer parts of my eyebrows which were the result of years of serious overplucking. I started using it on my lashes too and after a couple of weeks, there was a noticeable difference!

A bottle lasts a couple months of daily use and hasn’t been irritating at all. I tend to wear less makeup in the summer, and don’t wear mascara every day, and I love how this has not only lengthened my lashes but also made them fuller.

LuminoLite Reading Light

One of the best parts about summer is that we don’t have to leave the house until almost an hour later than during the school year. This means there are a few bookworms in our house that have been staying up later and reading and these clip-on book lights are amazing! You can adjust the brightness of the light and you charge them by plugging them into your computer or USB port. They are also great for travel!

Native Kids Miles Water Shoes

When it comes to footwear for our kids, we are in the less is more category. They have Bogs boots for fall, winter & spring, sneakers year round and Natives for summer. The kids have had these since they were toddlers and they are THE BEST!

We have always called them “racing shoes” because when our older son was little he thought they made him go SUPER FAST. 🙂 They are the best summer shoes, not just for going in the water. They are super easy to clean, we just toss them in the laundry and are so great for quick on and off. Unless we are doing a lot of walking, these are the only shoes they wear all summer.

Scout Daytripper & Weekender Tote Bags

I use my Scout bags/organizers all the time. They are structured so they stand upright and don’t lose their shape, which can happen with a lot of tote bags. They are also great because you can wipe them down(so I don’t stress about them getting a little dirty/setting them down outside) they zip closed, they have a reasonable price point and they also have the cutest patterns.

After years of having a diaper bag, it feels nice to be able to still have a lot of storage but also just have it look like a regular bag. Now to be fair, I think diaper bags have come along way in 9 years, so that is what I am comparing it to, ha!

I have the Daytripper Tote that I use as a summer purse/”catch-all” and we have the Weekender Tote that is perfect for a beach/pool trip or a night away. Although our kids are older now, we still carry around a ton of stuff. These bags are so versatile and I love that there are so many size options. I use my daytripper bag every single day, and I have a second one that I use for a work/gym bag as well.

We have the Junque Trunk in the bag of my car and it is amazing! I use the bottom if it to store things we use frequently but not all the time (waterproof blanket, Crazy Creek chair for sports games, and reusable shopping bags) and then when I get groceries, it is a great place to store them on the way home os they don’t tip over or spill.

Finally, the Packing Heat Makeup Bag is amazing! It is a perfect size and I love that it has the interior side pocket that I use for makeup brushes. It is super easy to wash out if anything spills and after a couple of years of daily use, it still looks brand new.

Jockey Skimmies

I told you there would be some practical items on here and these definitely fit into that category. When you can’t wear a skort, these are a great alternative! 😉 I don’t like to wear dresses that much, but when I do, these Skimmies slip shorts are awesome to wear underneath and provide the perfect defense again the dreaded “thigh rub”…

They are long enough that they don’t show when you wear a shorter dress but long enough so that they don’t ride up. I am in a wedding in a couple of weeks and you better believe I will be wearing these! They have the benefits of Spanx without the super amount of compression which often isn’t necessary or comfortable.

Sip by S’well Tumblers

I have to finish this list off with my favorite thing probably ever. I love drinking water, I love having a lot of it and I love drinking with a straw. I don’t go anywhere without a water bottle and I am not joking.

A few months ago I found one of these tumblers on the clearance rack at Target because the packing was damaged, and I knew it was a sign. I probably didn’t need any more tumblers or water bottles, but it was just too good of a deal to pass up. I have not gone a day without using it! They are amazing for water but you can also use them for ice coffee/tea, or even a cocktail.

You can use it with the lid and straw or without. I love the style of the straw because unlike most stainless steel ones, it has a silicone piece in the middle so it bends! I knew I had to share this in my favorites list and even better, these colors (along with grey if you are boring) are 20% off right now! Enjoy!!!

Alright, I hope you enjoyed this collection of my tried and true summer favorites. Do you have anything you would add to yours? I would love to hear!!

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